Charith Asalanka's century went in vain as Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets in a match which was held amid severe air pollution in the capital on Monday.
Despite the AQI hovering close to the 400 mark, it was business as usual at Kotla Stadium. Sent in to bat, middle-order batter Asalanka scored a 105-ball 108 to help Sri Lanka post 279 before being all out in 49.3 overs.
Bangladesh scored the required runs in 41.1 overs. Najmul Hossain Shanto (90) and skipper Shakib Al Hasan (82) shared 161 runs for the third wicket to lay the foundation for the win, reaching 282/7 after some anxious moments. From 210/2, they plunged to 269/7, but somehow managed to pull off their second win of the tournament.
While the result officially ends Lanka's chances in this World Cup, it keeps alive Bangladesh's hopes of making the cut for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
The highlight of the match was veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews being 'timed out' after Shakib appealed for it.
After the game, Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis expressed his disappointment. "When Mathews came to the crease, there were five seconds left... it's disappointing that the umpires couldn't step in and make good decisions."
